Face Vs Heel: Bret 'The Hitman' Hart
8. Crowd Interaction
Face:
Bret Hart giving his glasses away to ringside children was first a gloriously wholesome grab for support when he was still finding his feet. It later became an incredibly rich moment of magic that symbolically reflected the bond between ‘The Hitman’ and his fans.
As tight as the neoprene band connecting his shimmering specs together, Hart forged a different kind of trust than those that had come before him. The shades were more than just a cool freebie - he didn't cup his ear to ask for audience support after a match, but gave away a part of himself before the bell to show respect for what he knew was a privilege.
Heel:
More on this a little later, but Hart found his voice like never before when he managed to tweak a few genuine creative worries into a fully fledged civil war in 1997. Eyes that once so magnificently told the earnest story of struggle suddenly lit inferno red with every stomp he laid in on your new favourite wrestler.
The bond was still tight, but 'The Hitman' was so good at his craft that it felt like you were the one being excellently executed through the suffering of all your heroes.
Winner: Face